Guide or guard device for work-penetrating tools of sewing and other machines



F. w"; MERRICK. GUIDE 0R GUARD DEVICE FOR WORK PENETRATING TO0LS 0F SEWINQAND OTHER MACHINES.

APPLICATION 'HL'ED JUNE 26.1918.

Patented Mar. 7, 1922.

3 snens msn 1.

F. W. MERRICK.

GUIDE 0R GUARD DEVICE FOR WORK PENETRATING TOOLS 0F SEWING AND OTHER MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28,19l8. 1 ,408 ,821 Patented Mar. 7, 1922.

3.8HEETS-SHEET 2.

F. w. MERRICK. GUIDE'OR GUARD DEVICE FOR WORK PENETRATING TOOLS OF SEWING AND OTHER MACHINES APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28.1918.

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i Apphcation filed June 23,

v a citizen otthe Unit-ed S ates, residing at Boston; in the county oi Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and' useiiul Improvement in Guide or Guard Devices for Wor r-Penetrating Tools of Sewing and other Machines of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein-to the accompanying drawings.

The generalobjectot the invention is to provide improved mean for preventing deflection'or bendingof work penetratingtools such, "for instance, as the awl or needle of a sewing machine, while entering or feeding the work.

The invention provides in connection with a reciprocating tool such as aforesaid an anti-deflection guide or guard whichis actuated toward and from the surface of the work, being thereby given intermittingly a working position'at or'near the said surface in which it cooperates with the said tool -for the purpose stated, and alternately therewith being retractedso thatit will not interfere with the thread or with other parts in the performance of their functions.

The invel'ition is applicable in connection with a reciprocating tool employed merely to pierce the work, but finds its maximum degree oi? usefulness in connection with a reciprocating tool wliicli performs or assists in performing the operatioi'i of feeding the work along. In such connection the device servesas a brace which prevents springing of the tool atflth'e beginning and end of the respective feed-movements, or during the feed-movements, whereby variations from the standard teedde'ngth are obviated. A characteristic o't-the invention is a diiieren tial extent o'fmoveinent of. the guide or guard as compared with that oi the tool. Accord ing to one part of the "invention the guide or guard is actuated positively by means-of actuating connections having combined there with agauge or presser contacting withithe work and controlling the limitoi? the throw of the-device toward the work so that the said limit is varied autoinat' :ally to coinpensate for variations in the thickness oi the work; 'The said gauge or pres'ser may be the presser-ioet of the machine. According to another part oit'the invention, the carrier forthe guide ortguard and the carrier for the tool with which the device cooperatrs are mounted concentrically, so that the con- Specificationof Letters Patent. Patented 7,

1918; Serial No. 242 470.

centric mounting oftlie twocarriers avoids the dangerof tool deiiectionby the guide or guard itself which would be likely ifthe two carriers were-)mounted"side by side, eshe" tool and guide or guardarednounted so that both work uponthe same longitudinal axis; If they were mounted to work on diiierent axes, any wear of the parts, and resulting pecially as a result of weaixu In effect;

slack, would result in displaceinenthf the tool to one side or the other, and" also allow the tool to be deflectedby'the work. The

invention includes" 'special provisions for connecting the tool andguide or guard with their respective carriers. i v 1 The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, which show the preferred if and also modified embodiment of someiot embodiment of the differentfeaturesltherc its features Fig. his a side elevation of the preferred embodiment. l

Fig. 2 is a front elevationthereof. Fig; 3 is apartly sectional view of there'- 1 and 2, and their carriers.

Figs. 4c and 5 are vlews similar to. Fig. '1.

but showing the parts in different positions,

with some portions broken away and others in section.

Flg. 61s a side (:lGVtltlOIrO'ii a was thread sewing 'machine having applied thereto the;

modified embodiment aforesaid.

Fig. 7 is a front elevation, and Fi viewin vertlcal SBCil'lGIlSO'f the awl, the guide or guard, the carriers tliereior and the'vmeans of actuatingthe guide or guard-audits car rier from: the awl-carrier, oi. the said inodi tion with whichI employ'the guideor guard aforesaid, and at-12- is the preterred form oi;

the said guide or guardl in this case the ciprocatingto'ol and guide or guard of igs;

tool 1 is an awl, fori.nstancethat eta wave 7 thread sewing machine, and the said awl and the guideor guardare secured to car? were 3 and at which are mounted in manner providing for vertical reciprocatlngmoie a nients of the carriers. The general construction shown pertains to the type of machine having an awl-ieed or needleieed and cording'ly the two carriers are moi connection with a teed-arm or lever 5 manner to provide for the said vertical reclprocating movements 1'elat1ve to the said feed arm or lever. To provide for the feed movements of the latter, it is shown as hung at its upper end, as heretofore usual, upon a pivot-screwb, which in practice is engaged with a portion (not shown) of the fixed head of themachine. 'In'praotice, also, the

the-tool with the work. j Means of welt known character for reciprocating the tool verticallyis shown, comprising the link 9 having its lower end connected pivot-ally with the carrier 3,an arm 10 to WlllClI the I upper end ofthe said link 18 connected p1votally, and a rockshaft 11 to which the said arm isattached, such rockshaft having comw binedtherewith in practice, as usual, means (not shown) for rocking the same. a y The. guide orv guard 2 preferablycoop erates with the tool at difierent sides of the latter, more especially in the directionof the 111116 of feed. The illustrated form thereof is tubular'and surrounds and fits the tool 1, as shown best in Fig. 3. Such view also shows clearly the feature of making the carrier 4 for the guide or guard as a sleeve, and

- 11 arranging it to enclose the carrier 3 for-the tool so as to secure in-the case of the two car riers the concentric mounting to which refer ence has been made. The sleeve-likecarrier 4: is fitted to a guide-bearing in the lower .portion of feed arni 5. The top portion of tool-carrier 3, above the upper end of carrier 4, is .fittedl to a guide-bearing n the upper portion of the arm 5. V

The means for reciprocatmg the guide or guard in proper coordination with the tool 1 may varymore or less in different embodiments of the features of the 1nvent1on. In most cases the means for reclprocatnig the J said tool vertically is adapted to be utilized :for reciprocating the guide or guard also,

and in the present instance is shown as thus utilized, in conjunction with connections embodying certain special features of invention. Thus, the motion-transmitting link 9 is connected by means ofa link'12 to links 13, 14, having their meeting ends connected together pivotally, as at 15, and having the upper end of the link 13 connected to an abutment-pivot 16 and the lower end of the link' 14 connected pivotally at 17 with the carrier 40f the guide or guard. The. link 12'is connected with the other links at the point 15. l i g The arrangement is. such that when arm 5 10 and link 9 are in the elevated position a shown in Fig. 4, with tool 1 correspondingly elevated, the links 18, 14, occupy therelatively bent or angular position shown in such figure, with the guide or guard 2 elevated also. As arm 10 and link 9 descend, causing tool 1 to move toward theivOrk, the thust transmitted through link 12 carries the] links. 18, 14, downward, causing them to straighten out into line witheach other and carrying the'guide or guard 2 down so that it arrives in contact with the upper surface of the work,or in the pres determined close proximity thereto, before the point of the tool enters such surface. Fig. 1 illustrates this stage, with the links 13, 14, nearly in a; straight line with each other. In the further descent of arm 10 and link 9, which moves the tool down into the work, and in the firstpart ofthe lifting movement, the link 12 merely operatesto swing the links 13, 14, laterally toand Slightly past dead center with relation to pivots 16, 17 and back to the position in Fig. 1, without occasioning any perceptible vertical movement of the guide or guard.

This insures a prolonged dwell of the guide or guard in its working position at the surface of the'work while the feed-movementof arm 5' and tool 1 takes place. Continued upward movement of arm10 and link 9, op-

erating -towithdrawtool 1 from thework, also acts reversely through link 9 to return the links 13, 14, to their relative positions shown in Fig. 4, thereby raising the guide or guard into its withdrawn, position.

referably, although not necessarily in all cases, the limitof the throw of the guide or guard toward the work is controlled as hereinbefore indicated by means of a gauge or presser contacting with the work and operating to vary the said limitautomatically so as to compensate for variations in the thickness of the work. In the illustrated construction the presser-footlS is utilized. as

a gauge for the said purpose. The said.

presser-foot, as usual, is attached .tothe presser-bar 19, which latter is acted upon by the spring 20 tending to keep the presser-v foot down upon the top surfaceaof the work and the latter pressed against the work-sup port .8. The said presser-bar -iis shown mounted in guides in thestationary part21 of the head of the machine, and also is'shown as having combined therewith automatic presser-foot lifting mechanism A on the order of that of U. S. LettersPatentfNo; 891,210, dated June 16, 1908, for the purpose of lifting-the presser-foot, alternately.

with the formation ofjthe stitches. As p0rtions of different thickness of the workpass between the presser-foot 18 and the worksupport 8, the presser-foot andpresser-bar change their position vertically, as illustrated by F igs. 1, 4 and 5. In..Fig.= 5 the work is somewhat thicker than in "Figs. 1 and 4, and consequently the 'presser-foot" and presser-bar occupy a higher position in Fig. 5 than in Figs. 1 and i This vertical shift of" the presser-f'oot and presser-bar under the control of the thickness of the work islnade instrumental in controlling the limit of the throwo-f the positively-actuated guide or guard toward thework, by utilizing'su ch shift to adjust the height of abut ment-pivot- 16 of the link 13. i This is accomplished by engaging the said abutment-pivot with a bar 22 which is attached 'to the upper portion of the presser-bar and consequently rises and sinksv in unison with thepresserbar and presser-foot. The said bar 22 cccupies guideways in the upper portion of the part 21 of the machine-head Anincreas'ed thickness beneath the 'presser-foot will resuit in a higher positionof'the abutmentpivot 16, whichwill'raisethe limit of' the throw of the guide or guardtoward the work, and vice versa inthe case of a .decreased thickness. 1 r 1 Themeans' shown in Figs. 1 to 5 for actuating the guide or guard is easy, smooth, and noiseless in operation and subject to very little wear. v t, l

The principles of the invention may be embodied variously in practice; The modification shown in Figs. 6 to 9 is of a type in which the guide or guard is actuated by frictional connections between its carrier and the carrier of the work-penetrating tool. Thus, as shown best in Figs. 7 and S, the carrier 1- of the guide or guard 2 has attached thereto a collar 4; from which extends upward a plate 4P having a longitudinal slot 4 formed therein. Within. this slot is received a projecting portion of the collar 9 with which the lower end of the motiontransmitting link 9, Fig. 6, is connected pivotally. This collar 9 is fixedly mounted upon carrier 3. In this instance the link is actuated by means of a crank-pin 9 on a rotating disk 9. A bent friction plate or spring 4& is held against the outer face of the plate l so that its curved end-portions make contact with the said face, by means of a screw 4?, the threaded stem of which enters a threaded hole in the said collar 99 while the flanged head of the screw engages with the bowed intermediate portion of the friction plate or spring. The plate i thus is clamped frictionally between the exterior of collar 9 and the extremities of the friction plate or spring. Thereby, the carrier 4 and guide or guard 2 are caused to move in unison with the carrier 3 and work-penetrating tool 1 until arrested by the contact of the guide or guard with the surface of the work in the movement toward the latter, or of the upper end of the plate at with a suitable stop, as for instance the underside of the portion 5, Fig. 6, of the feed-arm 5, in the movement away from the work.'

Fig. 8 shows the preferred mode of combining the Worl penetrating tool with its carrier 3. In this view the ca rrier 3 is bored longitudinally from end to end, the bore being slightly enlarged at the lower end of the carrier so as to form al chuck-receiving chamber, andits mouth being slightly flared. \Vithin the said chamber is placed a split chuck 30 that is adapted to receive within its jaws the shank of the tool 1. The jaws of this chuck having flaring external enlarge by having the rod formed with a reduced lower end-portion which is screwed into a threaded hole in the upper end of the chuck. Upward movement'of the rod and chuck within the bore of the'carrierfi will cause the flaring external portions of the chuckjaws to bear against theinside of the flaring mouth at the lower end of the carrier, and thereby the chuck-jaws'will'be pressed into firm engagement with the shank of the'tool 1. This movement oft-herodis providedfor in the present instance by forming a screwthread upon its upper end-portion, and placing in engagement therewith a nut 32 which makes contact with the upper end of the carrier 3. By tightening up this nut the rod 31 is drawn upward so as to cause the chuck to close upon and hold the shank of the tool. By loosening the nut, the rod may be freed so as to permit it to move down in order thereby to relieve the grip of the chuck-j aws upon the tool-shank.

Guide or guard 52 is shown (see more particularly Fig. 3) detachably combined with the lower end of its carrier l by being formed with a tubular, internally screwthreaded, hub-portion screwing upon an externally screw-threaded port-ion of reduced diameter of said lower end.

What is claimed as the invention is,-

1. The combination with a reciprocating work-penetrating tool, a carrier-bar therefor, means for actuating said carrier-bar, an anti-deflection guide or guard for said tool, and a reciprocating carrier for said guide or guard, of a toggle connecting with said carrier and with a suitable abutment, and an in termediate link participating in the move ment of the carrier-bar and connecting with said toggle, whereby differential movement of the carrier and the guide or guard relative to the tool is produced.

2. The combination with a reciprocating work-penetrating tool, a carrier-bar therefor, an anti-deflection guide or guard for said tool, and a reciprocating carrier-sleeve for said guide or guard mounted concentriparticipating iii-the moyementof the carrier-bar and connecting withsaid toggle,

whereby diiterential movement of the car rier-sleeve and the guide or guard relative to the tool is produced.

3. The combination with a work-gauge 0r presser, a reciprocating work-penetrating.

tool, acarrier-bar therefor, means for actuating said carrier-bar, an anti-deflection guide or guard for said tool, a reciprocating carrier for said guide or guard, and an abuts ment adjustable in, unison with the workgauge or presser, of a toggle connecting with saidcarrier and with said abutment,-and an intermediate link participating in the movement ofthe carrier-bar and connecting with said toggle, whereby the latter and the carrier with its guide or guard are actuated.

- 1. :The combination with a reciprocating work-penetrating tool, of an anti-deflection guide or guard therefor, a common actuator for both thereof, linkspivotally connecting with each other, one thereof also connecting with the guide or guard and the other, with an abutment,and a motion-transmitting link intermediatesaid actuator and said links. 7

5. The combination with a work-contacting gauge or presser, and a reciprocating V links pivotally connecting with eachother,

one thereof also connecting withthe .guide or guard and the other with an abutment in connection with the gauge or presser, and a motion-transmitting link intermediate said actuator andsaid links. a

6. In comblnation, concentrically-mounted tubular carrier-bars, an anti-deflection guide or guard carried by the outer one, a

work penetrating tool, a split chuck receiving said tool and occupying a chamber inthe inner carrier-bar, and anoperatingrod for said schuck extending lengthwise through the latter carrier-bar. i, i q

7. In combination, concentrically-mounted carrier-bars, a'work-penetrating tool car ried by the inner one, and an anti deflection guide or guard detachably screwing upon the lower end of the outer carrier-bar and arranged to cooperate with thesaid tool.

In testimony whereof I affixrmy signature in presence of two witnesses. V y FRANK W. MERRICK. 'lVitnesses:

CHAS. F. RANDALL. ELLEN 0. SPRING. 

